Cooling apparatus and method thereof for apparatus room

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a cooling apparatus and a method for an apparatus room, which is related to a cooling apparatus capable of transferring the heat generated by the heat source in the apparatus room out of the apparatus room and comprises a heat pipe having a heat transfer fluid flowing therein and attached to at least one heat transfer unit, characterized in that: one end portion of the heat transfer unit conducts a heat exchange with the heat source and the heat is transferred to another end portion thereof such that the heat is removed for cooling. The heat generated by the heat source is removed and carried away via the effective heat transfer to a remote end such that the temperature surrounding the heat source can be kept at low temperature and the effect of improved cooling can be advantageously achieved.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a cooling apparatus and a methodthereof for an apparatus room, in particular, to a cooling apparatus anda method thereof for an apparatus room with improved heat dissipationand temperature control.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Currently, the development and introduction of computers that have beenwidely used in various aspects of our daily lives and have significantlychanged our ways of living are considered to be one of the greatinventions and technologies of our time.

Nevertheless, due to the high frequency vibrations of the internalcomponents, computers tend to generate tremendous amount of heat duringtheir uses, which would cause the surrounding temperature to rise. Asthe performance of the computers becomes more demanding nowadays, thegeneration of heat is increasingly greater as well. In the event offailure to provide adequate cooling to lower the temperature, theelectronic devices would be easily damaged. It is crucial to provideproper cooling to lower the temperatures of computers.

For those places or facilities where a large number of computers andrelated devices are gathered are often known as the computer hubs orapparatus rooms, which are also known for their great amount of heatbeing generated during operations. Also, to achieve proper cooling forsuch apparatus rooms, the air vents provided must also incorporateadequate designs in light of dust and moisture controls; and as aresult, the air flows in the apparatus rooms tend to be less effective.

Accordingly, a common technique of cooling currently used is to removethe heat away from the heat generating source and to exhaust such heatout of the interior from a remote end of the apparatus room in order toprevent the rise of the room temperature at the surrounding of thecomputers. However, after a long period of time, the room temperaturecontinues to elevate gradually and the problem associated with heatgeneration cannot be effectively solved. To overcome such rise of roomtemperatures, air conditioners are often installed in the attempt tolower the temperature. As the operation of air conditioners consumes agreat amount of power, the cost associated thereto is also higher whilebeing unable to meet the standards of a green and energy-savingenvironment for such apparatus rooms. In view of the above, there is aneed for an improvement, and the inventor seeks to provide a solution toovercome the drawbacks in this field to satisfy the industrial needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, after years of research and development in thefield, the inventor seeks to overcome the aforementioned drawbacksassociated with known arts by providing a cooling apparatus and a methodthereof for an apparatus room with improved heat dissipation andtemperature control of the present invention.

A primary objective of the present invention is: to conduct heatexchange on the heat generated by the heat source by connecting the heattransfer unit with the heat source such that the heat can be transferredto a remote end for heat dissipation in order to achieve the objectiveof cooling and lowering the temperature thereof. With the aforementionedtechnique, the problem of the heat being accumulated around the heatdissipation device of known arts and the problem of the high extra powerconsumption required for heat dissipation can be effectively overcomesuch that the improved technical effect of cooling with loweredtemperature can be advantageously achieved.

To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention providesa cooling apparatus and a method thereof for an apparatus room, which isrelated to a cooling apparatus capable of transferring heat generated bya heat source in the apparatus room out of the apparatus room; whereinthe apparatus room is installed with a heat transfer pipe comprising aheat transfer fluid therein, and the heat transfer pipe is attached toat least one heat transfer unit; the cooling apparatus characterized inthat: one end portion of the heat transfer unit conducts a heat exchangewith the heat source inside the apparatus room to transfer the heat toanother end portion of the heat transfer unit such that the heatgenerated by the heat source is removed for lowering a temperaturethereof In addition, each one of the end portions of the heat transferunit further comprises a heat sink module respectively to increase aheat transfer area thereof.

Furthermore, the aforementioned method comprises the following steps of:

(a) causing heat exchange of one end portion of a heat transfer unitwith a heat source inside the apparatus room;

(b) adjusting and fixing the heat transfer unit in accordance withon-site conditions; and

(c) setting another end portion of the heat transfer unit away from theheat source.

With the aforementioned structure, the heat generated by the heat sourceinside the apparatus room can be transferred to the heat transfer pipevia the heat transfer unit, following which, the fluid inside the heattransfer pipe is able to carry the heat along with the flow thereof tobe exhausted out at a remote site. With such process, the roomtemperature inside the apparatus room can be effectively lowered. Inaddition, with such cooling apparatus, only the fluid flowing inside theheat transfer unit is required to be kept at low temperature withcooling, which significantly reduces the power consumption for coolingand is able to achieve the improved technical effect of cooling withlowered temperature advantageously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a structural layout of a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a process of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a first illustration showing an operational application of apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a second illustration showing another operational applicationof a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a third illustration showing still another operationalapplication of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an operational application of anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an illustration showing an operational application of stillanother preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To achieve the aforementioned objectives and technical effects, thepresent invention provides the following technical features andstructure, which are described in further details along with theaccompanied drawings below.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in which structural layout and a flowchart of the cooling method of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention are illustrated respectively. As shown in the figures, thepresent invention comprises:

at least one heat transfer pipe 1 comprising a fluid 11 therein, and theheat transfer pipe 1 comprising a temperature lowering device 3 and aflow guiding device 4 provided on ends thereof respectively; and

at least one heat transfer unit 2; one end portion of the heat transferunit 2 being attached to the heat transfer pipe 1 and another endportion thereof capable of conducting a heat exchange with the heatsource inside the apparatus room; wherein each one of the end portionsof the heat transfer unit 2 comprises a heat sink module 21 respectivelyto increase a heat transfer area thereof.

In addition, the aforementioned cooling apparatus is able to use acooling method further defined to be any one of an air-cooling methodand a liquid-cooling method.

When the cooling apparatus uses the air-cooling method, the heattransfer pipe 1 is an air-flow pipe, the fluid 11 therein is an air; inaddition, the temperature lowing device 3 is s a low-temperature airgenerating device and the flow guiding device 4 is an air-flow guidingfan.

When the cooling apparatus uses the liquid-cooling method; the heattransfer pipe 1 is a liquid-flow pipe, the fluid 11 therein is a liquid;in addition, the temperature lowering device 3 is a low-temperatureliquid generating device and the flow guiding device 4 is a liquid-flowguiding device.

Furthermore, the aforementioned method comprises the following steps of:

(a) causing heat exchange of one end portion of a heat transfer unitwith a heat source inside the apparatus room;

(b) adjusting and fixing the heat transfer unit in accordance withon-site conditions; and

(c) setting another end portion of the heat transfer unit away from theheat source.

Please refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, showing astructural layout, a process flow chart, a first illustration ofoperational application, a second illustration of operation applicationand a third illustration of operation application of the preferredembodiment of the present invention. A shown in the figures, the coolingapparatus for an apparatus room of the present invention is related to acooling apparatus capable of transferring heat generated by the heatsource inside the apparatus room out of the apparatus room, in which theheat transfer unit 2 is in close contact with the heat source foreffective heat transfer thereof (the way of contact recited herein isfor illustrative purposes only and the present invention is not limitedto such way of contact) to transfer the heat to the heat transfer pipe 1for heat flows. Accordingly, each one of the two end portions of theheat transfer unit 2 comprises a heat sink module 21 respectively tosignificantly increase the heat transfer area thereof such that theeffect of heat transfer and dissipation can be enhanced. Furthermore, byusing the fluid 11 flowing inside the heat transfer pipe 1 to carry outthe heat out of the apparatus room, the effect of lowering thetemperature thereof with cooling of the present invention can beadvantageously achieved. The operational application of the presentinvention is further described in the following. When a heat source(such as a computer) inside an apparatus room generates heat, the heatis transferred to the heat transfer pipe 1 via the heat transfer unit 2,and the temperature lowering device 3 and the flow guiding device 4provided on two ends of the heat transfer pipe 1 are then able toperform cooling and flow guidance on the fluid 11 respectively. Sincethe fluid 11 is continuously kept at a low temperature, the heatgenerated by the heat source can be effectively carried away by suchfluid 11 via the heat transfer unit 2 and the heat transfer pipe 1.Accordingly, with such structure, only the fluid 11 flowing inside theheat transfer pipe 1 is required to be kept at low temperature bycooling without the need to lower the room temperature of the entireapparatus room; therefore, the power consumption required for coolingcan be significantly reduced. As a result, the present invention is ableto achieve the aforementioned technical effects while demonstrating themerits of being novel, economic and of industrial applicability.

Please refer to FIG. 6, showing an operational application of anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, aplurality of heat transfer units 2 a are provided and are attached toeach other directly such that the heat generated by the heat source istransferred to a remote end thereof directly. In addition, another endof the heat transfer unit 2 a uses a natural cooling or fan coolingmethod to achieve the objective of cooling thereof.

Please refer to FIG. 7, showing an operational application of stillanother preferred embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, a plurality of heat transfer units 2 b are provided and areused to transfer the heat out of the apparatus room along with a watercooling method utilizing a water tank. Therefore, the heat generated bythe heat source is transferred by the heat transfer units 2 b, which isthen dissipated by the water of the water tank in order to achieve theobjective of cooling of the present invention similarly.

In view of the above, the unique technical features of the coolingapparatus for an apparatus room of the present invention capable ofovercoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the known arts mainly rely onthat:

By using a contact transfer method for the heat transfer, followed byexhausting the heat accumulated at a site remote from the heat source,only the fluid 11 flowing inside the heat transfer pipe 1 is requiredfor keeping at low temperature and for flow guidance. As a result, thepresent invention is able to achieve an improved effect of coolingwithout the need to lower the room temperature of the entire apparatusroom, unlike the conventional known arts, and such that the powerconsumption thereof is reduced and greater energy can be effectivelysaved.

It can, however, be understood that the aforementioned description areprovided to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention only; and the details thereof shall be treated as limitationsto the present invention. Any modification or equivalent structuralchanges based on the content of the specification and drawings of thepresent invention shall be considered to be within the scope of thepresent invention.

In view of the above, the cooling apparatus and the method thereof foran apparatus room of the present invention is able to achieve theeffects and objectives outlined above. In other words, the presentinvention is unique and satisfies the patentability requirements, whichis also a legitimate application to seek for the grant of the patentright.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling apparatus for an apparatus room,related to a cooling apparatus capable of transferring heat generated bya heat source in said apparatus room out of said apparatus room; whereinsaid apparatus room is installed with a heat transfer pipe comprising aheat transfer fluid therein, and said heat transfer pipe is attached toat least one heat transfer unit; said cooling apparatus characterized inthat: one end portion of said heat transfer unit conducts a heatexchange with said heat source inside said apparatus room to transfersaid heat to another end portion of said heat transfer unit such thatsaid heat generated by said heat source is removed for lowering atemperature thereof.
 2. The cooling apparatus for an apparatus roomaccording to claim 1, wherein each one of said end portions of said heattransfer unit comprises a heat sink module respectively to increase aheat transfer area thereof.
 3. The cooling apparatus for an apparatusroom according to claim 1, wherein said cooling apparatus uses a coolingmethod further defined to be any one of an air-cooling method and aliquid-cooling method.
 4. The cooling apparatus for an apparatus roomaccording to claim 3, wherein said cooling apparatus uses saidair-cooling method; said heat transfer pipe is an air-flow pipe; saidfluid therein is an air; and one end of said heat transfer pipecomprises a low-temperature air generating device and another endthereof comprises an air-flow guiding fan.
 5. The cooling apparatus foran apparatus room according to claim 3, wherein said cooling apparatususes said liquid-cooling method; said heat transfer pipe is aliquid-flow pipe; said fluid therein is a liquid; and one end of saidheat transfer pipe comprises a low-temperature liquid generating deviceand another end thereof comprises a liquid-flow guiding device.
 6. Acooling method for an apparatus room, comprising the steps of: (a)causing heat exchange of one end portion of a heat transfer unit with aheat source inside the apparatus room; (b) adjusting and fixing the heattransfer unit in accordance with on-site conditions; and (c) settinganother end portion of the heat transfer unit away from the heat source.7. The cooling method for a data center according to claim 6, whereineach one of said end portions comprises a heat sink module respectivelyto increase a heat transfer area thereof.
 8. The cooling method for adata center according to claim 6, wherein said end portion of said heattransfer unit that is away from the heat source uses natural cooling orfan cooling for lowering temperature.
 9. The cooling method for a datacenter according to claim 6, wherein said end portion of said heattransfer unit that is away from the heat source uses a cooling water forlowering a temperature thereof.